start_link(Args) ->
    proc_lib:start_link(?MODULE, init,
                        [self(), Args]).


init(Parent, Args) ->
    % Тут проводим инициализацию процесса
    % ...

    Debug = sys:debug_options([]),
    State = #state{...},

    proc_lib:init_ack(Parent, {ok, self()}),

    loop(State, Parent, Debug).


loop(State, Parent, Debug) ->
    receive
        % Тут обрабатываем свои сообщения
        % ...
        {system, From, Request} ->
            sys:handle_system_msg(
                Request, From, Parent, ?MODULE, Debug, State)
    end.

=INFO REPORT==== 9-Sep-2009::23:20:16 ===
    application: stp
    exited: function_clause
    type: temporary

=ERROR REPORT==== 9-Sep-2009::23:20:16 ===
** Generic server <0.53.0> terminating 
** Last message in was {'DOWN',#Ref<0.0.0.58>,process,<0.48.0>,
                               function_clause}
** When Server state == {state,#Port<0.738>,undefined,<0.48.0>,undefined,on,
                               false,false,on,connected,undefined,0,
                               [#Port<0.736>,#Port<0.737>],
                               #Port<0.739>,#Port<0.740>}
** Reason for termination == 
** {stopped,{'EXIT',<0.48.0>,function_clause}}

** Generic server <0.53.0> terminating 
** Last message in was {'DOWN',#Ref<0.0.0.58>,process,<0.48.0>,
                           {function_clause,
                               [{consumer,crash,[do_it]},
                                {consumer,handle_info,2},
                                {gen_server,handle_msg,5},
                                {proc_lib,init_p_do_apply,3}]}}
** When Server state == {state,#Port<0.738>,undefined,<0.48.0>,undefined,on,
                               false,false,on,connected,undefined,0,
                               [#Port<0.736>,#Port<0.737>],
                               #Port<0.739>,#Port<0.740>}
** Reason for termination == 
** {stopped,{'EXIT',<0.48.0>,
                    {function_clause,[{consumer,crash,[do_it]},
                                      {consumer,handle_info,2},
                                      {gen_server,handle_msg,5},
                                      {proc_lib,init_p_do_apply,3}]}}}

The module sys contains some functions for simple debugging of processes implemented using behaviours

runtime_error_workaround(R) ->
    case R of
        {'EXIT', Reason} -> exit(Reason);
        _ -> R
    end.

message_loop(Parent, Debug, State) ->
    receive
        {announce, Announce} ->
            NewState = runtime_error_workaround(catch handle_announce(State, Announce)),
            message_loop(Parent, Debug, NewState);
        {system, From, Request} ->
            sys:handle_system_msg(Request, From, Parent, ?MODULE, Debug, State);
        stop ->
            terminate(normal, State)
    end.

  try
    real_work()
  catch C:E ->
    io:format("failed: ~p:~p~n", [C, E]),
    throw({rethrown_from_debug,C,E})
  end

  crasher:
    initial call: odbc_import:init/4
    pid: <0.57.0>
    registered_name: odbc_import
    exception error: no function clause matching 
                     odbc_import:check_integer(atom)

N>  try
N>    real_work()
N>  catch C:E ->
N>    io:format("failed: ~p:~p~n", [C, E]),
N>    throw({rethrown_from_debug,C,E})
N>  end
N>

exit — закрытие процесса
error — ошибка рантайма
throw — исключение, сгенеренное приложением

  {catch erlang:error(err), catch exit(ext), catch throw(thr)}.

{{'EXIT',{err,[{erl_eval,do_apply,5},
               {erl_eval,expr,5},
               {erl_eval,expr_list,6},
               {erl_eval,expr,5},
               {shell,exprs,6},
               {shell,eval_exprs,6},
               {shell,eval_loop,3}]}},
 {'EXIT',ext},
 thr}

  try erlang:error(err) catch C:E -> {C,E} end.
{error,err}

 try erlang:error(err) catch C:E -> {C,E,erlang:get_stacktrace()} end.
{error,err,
       [{erl_eval,do_apply,5},
        {erl_eval,try_clauses,8},
        {shell,exprs,6},
        {shell,eval_exprs,6},
        {shell,eval_loop,3}]}